3 charged in first genital mutilation case in US

In the first federal case involving female genital mutilation filed in the United States, two Michigan doctors and the wife of one of the doctors have been charged with performing the banned procedure on two 7-year-old girls.

Dr. Fakhruddin Attar, 53, and his wife, Farida Attar, 50, were arrested Friday at their medical office in Livonia, Michigan, west of Detroit.

They were charged with three federal criminal counts including conspiracy, female genital mutilation and aiding and abetting.

Detroit emergency room physician Jumana Nagarwala, 44, was arrested April 12 and is currently in jail awaiting trial after a federal judge deemed her a flight risk and a threat to the community.

The three defendants belong to a “religious and cultural community” that investigators allege practices female genital mutilation on young girls — a painful surgical procedure to remove part of the clitoris or clitoral hood to suppress female sexuality.

During a court hearing April 17, Nagarwala’s defense attorney, Shannon Smith, told a judge the procedure did not involve cutting and was religious in nature, CNN affiliate WXYZ reported.

Smith argued the procedure is practiced by the Dawoodi Bohra, an Islamic sect based in India, and that the clinic was used to keep procedures sterile, WXYZ reported.

The Detroit Free Press reported from the hearing that Smith said her client removed membrane from the girls’ genital area using a “scraper” as part of a religious practice. The girls’ parents would then bury the membrane in the ground in accordance with their religious custom, Smith said, according to the Free Press account.

A detention hearing for the Attars is scheduled for April 26 at 1 p.m. ET.

No charges have been filed against the parents of the girls.

The FBI has a tip line for victims of female genital mutilation, or anyone who might suspect such activity. They can call 800-CALL-FBI (225-5984) or submit a tip via FBI.GOV/FGM.